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Oregon Coast Dining: Restaurants of a Different Kind in Cannon Beach
(Cannon Beach, Oregon) – It is dining to die for in one of the coast's most popular little resorts.
Restaurants in Cannon Beach mean dining in some rather extraordinary surroundings, and often innovative in décor and approaches. The menus consist of something just a little different, or the concept behind the eatery goes a direction few, if any, have thought of before.
Arch Cape Inn & Retreat. It's the coast’s most intriguing and exclusive restaurant – but you can be a part of it too. Inside a stunning castle, you can dine on the creations by two master chefs. Friday nights are a prix fixe extravaganza of the palate that is $88 per couple; Saturdays are their now-legendary crab feast at 7 p.m. ($39 per person). Mornings feature cutting-edge cuisine for breakfast, with two seatings: 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., ($15 per person). Reservations are required for all as space is limited. A sample dinner menu: a light, airy chicken piccata with a lemon cream sauce, toasted pearl couscous, and a roasted tenderloin of beef with wild mushrooms ragout. Crab feasts include a variety of gourmet items. Breakfast may find a baked praline French toast, a poached egg sandwich or rosemary roasted red potatoes, among numerous other items. Fine wines are extra. Look for East Ocean Rd., just north of the Arch Cape Tunnel. Arch Cape, Oregon (s. of Cannon Beach and Seaside). www.archcapeinn.com. 800-436-2848.
Cannon Beach Fultano's Pizza. It’s some serious gourmet Italian at a family price. This one delivers to local hotels, and they feature slices for lunch. There's a special thin crust recipe that's especially tasty, crunchy and yet still tender in a way that manages to combine both those latter qualities seamlessly.
There are many of the standbys, as well as gourmet varieties like the Margherita (garlic and herb olive oil, three cheeses, red onion and more), a Greek-themed specialty, a Goat Cheese pizza, and specialties with Teriyaki Chicken, Linguica, BBQ Chicken and a variety of seafood selections. One item features a distinctive sausage with mashed grapes for the sauce, providing a subtle, sweet tang. The sausage is spicy and zippy, making a nice balance to the slight sweetness.
One must-try is their pasta (about $10). They have a homemade tomato sauce that stacks up against anything Europe could dish out. This is one stunning, mother-of-all sauces, and their penne pasta with meatballs is a seriously addictive dish. 200 N. Hemlock and Second Street. www.CBfultanos.com (503) 436-9717.
Mo's Cannon Beach. Overlooking the surf of Cannon Beach, you get unmatched views of sunsets, wave action and Haystack Rock in the distance. Mo’s famous chowder comes in several sizes, including a big sourdough bowl. There’s also oyster stew, slumgullion and chili, along with a massive bouillabaisse. Salads are aplenty, and appetizers include shooters, half shell, cocktails, shrimp skewers, clam strips and more ($3 - $10). Seafood sandwiches (around $7) include a tuna melt, grilled cod (or blackened), petrale sole with parmesan, and an Oregon oyster burger. Grilled cheese, chili, ribs, chicken strips, chicken fried steak and various burgers serve the landlubbers. Grand dinners ($8 - $15) arrive with salad, chowder and choice of rice, fries, seasoned vegetables or mashed potatoes. You’ll find blackened shrimp skewers, clam strips, fritters, popcorn scallops, deep fried shrimp, sole, oysters, salmon, halibut and cod. Get a combination plate and explore the ocean. A kid’s menu rounds out the fun. 195 Warren Way. Tolovana Park/Cannon Beach, Oregon. 503-436-1111. www.moschowder.com.
Inspired! Café. A café inside an art gallery creates more than a place to simply sit, sip and down truly inspired cuisine, with bright colors, a multitude of levels of things to look at and intriguing furniture. All this comes with a green slant and emphasis on local organic ingredients, including fair trade, shade-grown coffee. Munch on handcrafted flatbreads (about $7), like the Italian (herb infused mozzarella, goat cheese, parmesan and sundried tomatoes), or the Southwestern (spiced beans, corn salsa, pepper jack cheese), or the savory Indian (curried sweet potato, mango, goat cheese). On-site baked goods include Gorgonzola walnut bread (half loaf, $7; full loaf $12), as well as other fine breads and muffins. Fruit plates available too. To drink you’ll find a large menu of gourmet teas, as well as fine wines, imported beers and Oregon-made, organic sakes. At the corner of 1st and Hemlock in Cannon Beach. 503-436-1533. www.DragonFireStudio.com.
Morris' Fireside Restaurant. A gorgeous log cabin vibe mixed with upscale surroundings create a memorable family dining experience. Breakfast features flapjacks with eggs and such, hashbrowns, bacon, sausages in various incarnations large and small ($3 - $10). Omelettes ($7 - $14) can feature crab, spinach, sausage, ham, avocado, steak and more. Eggs benedict, biscuits and gravy, veggie casserole, or steak n’ eggs too. Lunch brings fish ‘n’ chips, burgers or sandwiches like BBQ, shrimp, tuna, turkey with baby greens and many other regulars or gourmet takes ($8 - $14). Pastas lean towards seafood, like a carbonara with prawns, halibut w/ garlic and a massive cioppino ($15 - $26). Steaks include tenderloin, prime rib, a lovely pot roast or country fried steak ($17 - $26). Large seafood entrees ($20 - $25) boast oysters, razor clams, a varied platter, prawns, crab cakes, or northwest scampi. Banquet, meeting rooms available. Catering. Corner of Hemlock and Second Streets, Downtown Cannon Beach, Oregon. 503-436-2917. www.morrisfireside.com.
Nehalem River Inn and Restaurant. One of the most hidden yet scrumptious upscale delights on the Oregon coast, the restaurant utilizes organic produce along with the finest meats and seafood, prepared in Chef Hamic’s famed style. An outdoor patio allows you to dine in a lush, forested setting in nicer weather, while warm, elegant surroundings typify the interior. A new wine bar in the lobby boasts a small menu and outdoor area. Menus change, but you may find items like Gravlax-style salmon with English cucumber, roast quail with green lentils and chicken apple sausage, New York Steak with truffled potato gratin and portabello mushroom, seared diver scallops with crème fraiche and goat cheese grits, Muscovy duck breast with risotto-style barley, or pan roasted Japanese black bass. Entrees in high $20's to low $30s. $40-$50 per person with food and wine. Reservations required. On Highway 53 - just 1.3 miles east of Highway 101. 34910 Highway 53, Nehalem, Oregon. (503) 368-7708. www.nehalemriverinn.com (20 minutes from Cannon Beach)
San Dune Pub. A classy staple among locals, regulars and tourists alike, there's a slight historical sense about the place, augmented by a warming fireplace. A super friendly staff serves up fine microbrews as well as scrumptious grub in the American and seafood vein with homemade sauces. Appetizers in the $3 - $9 range include hummus, cheese bread, various tots/fries, hot wings or calamari. Plenty of burgers in varied incarnations like chili, bacon, cheese, teriyaki, BBQ, chipotle, veggie or chicken come with tons of interesting additions. Got seafood? There’s strips, chips, burgers, tacos and more with fishies or oysters. Wraps and ciabatta sandwiches around $8 include chicken, Caesar, pesto, turkey and bacon/swiss, among others. Soups and salads abound. Less than ten minutes from the surfing paradise of Short Sands, weekends abound with live music frivolity. 127 Laneda Ave., Manzanita, Oregon. 503-386-5080. www.sandunepub.com (20 mins from Cannon Beach)
Cannon Beach Restaurants Which restaurant in Cannon Beach has the best clam chowder? Which one has the best atmosphere for a romantic dinner? Find out by reading reviews from other travelers to Cannon Beach and pick a great restaurant easily.
Nearby Restaurants, Dining (Rockaway Beach)
Rick’s Roadhouse Bar & Grille. Classy yet not pretentious, this gem is another shot in the arm for Rockaway Beach, with the feel of a cozy, neighborhood bar you’d feel good about taking your grandma to. Exceptional food populates the menu throughout the day, such as the gargantuan toasted sub sandwiches. Turkey, pastrami, chicken and an exceptional Italian meatball sub all come with a gourmet touch (all around $8). There’s a hefty helping of coastal comfort foods, such as large portions of halibut and chips, prawns and chips, chicken wings, etc. Burgers have some nifty new takes, such as the chili burger, or the ones with cube steak or grilled mushrooms (all around $7). There’s a small selection of Mexican favorites, and some interesting extras like steak fingers, polish hot dog or egg rolls. They feature karaoke at night as well. 184 Highway 101. Rockaway Beach, Oregon. 503-355-2052. (40 minutes from Cannon Beach)
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| Conditions for Cannon Beach, OR at 5:33 am PST Current Conditions: Fog, 36 F Forecast: Tue - Mostly Sunny. High: 56 Low: 40 Wed - Rain. High: 50 Low: 46 Full Forecast at Yahoo! Weather (provided by The Weather Channel) |
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